EU leaders greeted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warmly in Brussels for a special summit on his country's defense. It was a contrast to the now strained relations with U.S. President Donald Trump that's led to a pause in U.S. military and intelligence aid. The EU has pledged to support Ukraine and boost its own defense spending by up to US$860 billion.
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00:00A warm European welcome for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as European leaders meet
00:07for a special summit on his country's defense, a stark contrast to his disastrous meeting
00:13with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House last week.
00:16You're gambling with the lives of millions of people, you're gambling with World War
00:21III.
00:22You're gambling with World War III.
00:25The contentious meeting, followed by a pause in crucial U.S. military aid and intelligence
00:30support for Ukraine, Ukrainian officials calling it a threat to the global order.
00:35It's enough to understand that not only Russia and the military are trying to destroy world
00:43order, but the United States is also trying to destroy it.
00:50Europe is now stepping in to fill the gap with its Rearm Europe plan, with the potential
00:54to pour up to 860 billion U.S. dollars into new defense spending.
01:00There's a huge pressure on all member states to increase their defense spending and to
01:07have literally a surge in defense.
01:10And therefore the plan, the Rearm plan with the five elements, was very much welcomed
01:16by all leaders.
01:18French President Emmanuel Macron even suggesting his country's nuclear deterrent could be
01:23extended to EU allies.
01:43Russia has pushed back against Europe while praising Donald Trump.
01:54While Zelensky on social media says he's now preparing to travel to Saudi Arabia to
02:07meet the Crown Prince and U.S. officials, possibly Trump himself, to work towards a
02:12peace deal.
02:13With global alliances shifting, Ukraine now finds the battle for diplomacy may be as dire
02:18as that on the front lines.
02:20Justin Wu and Chris Gorin for Taiwan Plus.